NOTE: Looks like the game will be on Y98 until the Cards are done and then KMOX is taking over. Just couldn't fit that into the header.

Quote:

RANGERS (1-3-0) vs. BLUES (3-0-0)

TV: MSG, FS-MW

Season series: The New York Rangers and St. Louis Blues meet for the first time since Dec. 15, 2011. Brian Elliott's 25 saves and Alexander Steen's goal and assist led the Blues to a 4-1 win at Scottrade Center.

Blue Notes: The Blues are seeking their first 4-0-0 start in franchise history. Against the Eastern Conference, the Blues are an NHL-best 26-6-5 since the 2010-11 season. Dating back to last year, the Blues have a nine-game win streak, which is the longest active streak in the league.

Big story: The Rangers have been outscored 20-6 through their first four games under new coach Alain Vigneault. Their road doesn't get any easier as they travel to St. Louis to face an undefeated Blues team that has outscored opponents 14-4.

"We're being tested as a group, being challenged, and it's up to me as head coach to get this team to play well and that's what I'm going to do," Vigneault said.

The Blues come off a dramatic 3-2 win over the defending Stanley Cup champion Chicago Blackhawks on Wednesday to match their best start to a season (1969-70, 1993-94). Steen drove to the Blackhawks net and put the puck past goalie Corey Crawford with 21.1 seconds left for the game-winner.

Team Scope:

Rangers: Over their last two games the Rangers have surrendered 15 goals, the first time since Dec. 2006 they've given up 14 or more over consecutive games, according to the Elias Sports Bureau. New York hoped to get back on track after a 9-2 loss against the San Jose Sharks on Tuesday, but the team went into Anaheim on Thursday and fell 6-0 to the Ducks to remain in an early-season funk.

"We have to figure out what is going on," defenseman Dan Girardi said. "We have to get back to being a hard team to play against. I can't tell you why what's happening is happening. The system we have now is real simple, it's not some crazy thing that's so different from what we're used to. But for whatever reason, we seem to be lost."

Blues: The Blues welcome the Rangers as a confident group riding the high of their win Wednesday. There may be a long way to go in the season, but wins like the one over the Blackhawks can potentially catapult a team to new heights.

"It's a big win, that's for sure," Steen said. "It's a rival team, a team that … I don't think these two teams care for each other very much … so these are always nice wins. But it's Game 3 and there's a long ways to go. We put a goal where we want to come out of the gates hard, continue to grow as a team and get better and better as the year goes. Like I said, this is a big win, we'll enjoy it, but it's Game 3."

Who's hot: Blues goalie Jaroslav Halak made 26 saves Wednesday to improve to 3-0 with a 1.33 goals-against average and a .948 save percentage. Forward Vladimir Tarasenko opened the scoring against the Blackhawks to give him his second goal in as many games.

Injury report: Forward Rick Nash (upper body) was sent back to New York on Thursday and will miss the game in St. Louis. There is no timetable for his return. Carl Hagelin (shoulder) remains on long-term IR.

I told all my Rag fan friends that firing Tortorella would be bad for the Rangers and hiring Vigneault would be worse. Every freaking Rangers fan orgasms over the thought of having Henrik Lundqvist as their goalie but what they failed to realize is that he's been the annual benefactor of a very good defensive system. He wasn't a 7th round draft pick for nothing. The guy's gotten used to facing very few quality shots and having easy nights (much like, say... Brian Elliott) and now the defensive system in NY is non-existent and he's crumbling under the pressure (again much like Elliott, I'm positive, would if he had to face 35-40 shots a night) of that plus playing for a long term contract to wrap up his career. In reality, Lundqvist really isn't that great a goalie on a less defensive minded team. It's only a few games in and there's obviously plenty of time for the whole team to buy into AV's system and improve. Whether that's tonight or not is another question. That team was embarrassed on the west coast and they have something to prove to themselves and their coach and that's a recipe for a tough night for any opponent no matter how much better they may be on paper or in the standings. I'm figuring a highish scoring affair that could go either way. Blues will need at least 4 to win it, probably more like 6. Watch out for Richards, watch out for Callahan and be grateful Nash isn't playing.

If you're not in FlashChat before the puck drops you're a real douche.

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If Biron had stayed in net, that 3rd period would have been even more of a trainwreck for the rags. Refs did everything they could to give them the game but thankfully it didn't materialize that way. I'd say good enough game, but they need to work on the PK.

Also, Steener might very well be the MVP of this team when the season is all said and done.

Also was spot on in my assessment of the need for at least 4 goals to win and to watch out for Callahan. They accomplished the 1st, not so much the second.

Well Im eating a little crow, wasnt as easy as I thought it would be. Refs screwed both teams all night, but we played a good 1st and a great 3rd not sure wtf happened in the 2nd though.

David Backes and Halak glad to have you guys back this season I missed you guys last year. Lol

wtf happened in the 2nd period was the Blues played like ass and still potted 3 goals. If they can pot 3 goals in a bad period and put on a crapload of pressure to knock the other team off their game in their stronger periods, we're looking at something special. The way they played the 3rd there was no way the Rags would come back for the win unless Halak fell asleep and no one noticed.

I'm not endorsing periods like the 2nd on a regular basis, just glad at how they overcame all that sloppiness to still stick it to the Rags.

This team was rolling 4 lines again tonight and it was a thing of beauty. Those last 10 minutes, the Blues seemed to find another gear. No defensive shell, just balls to the wall hockey. Friggin' outstanding. This team is so exciting to watch right now. Granted, we're 4 games in so there will be ebbs and flows to come. But we're seeing what can happen if things gel at the same time.

This team was rolling 4 lines again tonight and it was a thing of beauty. Those last 10 minutes, the Blues seemed to find another gear. No defensive shell, just balls to the wall hockey. Friggin' outstanding. This team is so exciting to watch right now. Granted, we're 4 games in so there will be ebbs and flows to come. But we're seeing what can happen if things gel at the same time.

They better find another gear for more than 10 minutes at the end of a game against real opponents like San Jose and Chicago this week. If they play 60 minutes like they played against the Rags v those two teams, they'll be heading into Winnipeg as a 4-2 team.

This was the first game I've seen live (off the grid for the first two, then went to the Cardinals game when it got bumped back) & what a first game to see. The place had a lot of Cards fans who were abuzz after the tight game that ended less than an hour earlier. The place started focusing intently on the Blues in the third when the zebras kept making those bs calls, & it was roaring the last couple minutes of the game. Always fun when you can tell LA and NY to f-off on the same day.

Yeah they kept letting the rags hanging around, taking dumb penalties.. not as crisp a game as others, but I guess they got it done! They better not play like that against SJ, though. I saw them on TV briefly, and they look good.

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